Your photos are your sales pitch!
Hi! I’m Mandi, the writer and creator behind this site!
I’ve been making things as long as I can remember! I’ve made many, many things over the years – plushies, cosplay and Halloween costumes, and so many yummy recipes! Heck, I even majored in art. 😀
When I started selling on Etsy in 2007 I had no idea what I was doing. I took bad photos with my sofa as the background and called it a day. I didn’t have the budget for an expensive camera (nor the interest in learning how to operate one), so I thought good photos were out of my reach. I didn’t sell very much back then. 🙂
In 2009 I opened a new Etsy store (so I could have a better name). I took new photos in daylight with a beautiful scrap of IKEA fabric as the background. I made a sale right away. I re-listed the product and made another sale! I couldn’t believe it – I hadn’t changed the product or the description, just the photo.
I’ve since pushed my photography skills (and my $200 point-and-shoot Canon camera) much further than I ever thought possible!
About DIY Craft Photography
Craft photography is special. It’s more than just product photography. When you photograph your handmade crafts, you’re trying to capture a bit of yourself. You are showing your viewers something they’ve never seen before. It’s more than a product, it’s a handmade work of art.
I started DIYCraftPhotography to collect and share my knowledge of craft photography. I’ve learned so much over the years, and I want to share it all in the most accessible, beginner-friendly way possible. I’m still learning, too, and I’m eager to share my discoveries along the way.
DIYCraftPhotography is especially for:
- handmade artisans
- food bloggers
- Etsy sellers
- shop curators
I also want to recognize all the artisans who have contributed their own knowledge to the crafting community: bakers, quilters, jewelers, card-makers, soap-makers, clothing designers, painters, sculptors, wood-workers, knitters, and photographers. Without their examples and how-to blog posts, I wouldn’t know half the stuff I do today.
The do-it-yourself spirit is in every crafter, and DIYCraftPhotography is here to show you how simple and easy it is to take brilliant photos of your own crafts – without spending a fortune.
Sincerely,
Mandi and the DIYCraftPhotography team 🙂